Kitchen Exhaust Fans

Kitchen exhaust fans are one of my pet peeves, because they are notoriously inefficient--if they work at all. In early times kitchens did not have exhaust fans, and the cook was just incredible to suffer with the heat and humidity in the kitchen (maybe that is why few men cooked in the home kitchen back then).

[b]Gas Cooktop[/b]

Fortunately, kitchen fans gently became popular until now no kitchen is faultless until a fan is installed. Here are the main types of exhaust fans that are popular today:

Recirculating Fan

In my opinion, this is a poor excuse for a kitchen exhaust fan, because it doesn't exhaust anything. This fan principles naturally draws the air from over or around the cooktop, pulls it straight through a somewhat course filter, and blows the same humid air right back out into the room. None of the odor, or cooking moisture, is trapped by the filter, and although the filter can organize a coating of greasy residue, I doubt that it filters out much of anything.

I know there are situations in remodeling where it is practically mandatory to use a recirculating fan, but all too often a contractor will do it naturally to save costs. So, if it is your kitchen being remodeled--don't let your contractor get away with saying they can only install a recirculating fan. Rarely is this the case.

Downdraft Exhaust Fan

I once built a kitchen with a cooktop and flat top griddle installed side by side on an island in the center of the kitchen. The kitchen had a beautiful natural-finished open beam ceiling, so I did not want an overhead exhaust principles installed as the centerpiece of the kitchen.

Big mistake! I had two industrial downdraft exhaust systems designed and installed--one for the cooktop and one for the griddle. They moved an large whole of air, but they never completely drew out all the cooking vapors and humidity--even though they often sucked the flames off the gas cooktop burners. Also, because the internal fans were industrial grade, they made a terrible roar when turned up on high. Of course I won't even mention the cost.

I know many cooks are happy with their downdraft systems that come with many cooktops, but I am not one of them.

Overhead Hood Exhaust Fan

Since warm are rises, the overhead hood is the best selection of kitchen exhaust fans. Obviously, this assumes the exhaust fan is vented to the outdoors. Outdoor venting is mandatory because it is necessary to draw all the cooking vapors and humidity out of the kitchen--as well as most of the ambient heat.

These exhaust fans are more high-priced than recirculating systems, but if you do much cooking, they are well worth the extra cost. And if your maker or remodeling contractor tells you they can't install an face vented overhead hood exhaust system--find someone else contractor.

All too often, kitchen exhaust fans are only a "last thought" when designing a kitchen. Actually, they are one of the most leading features in a kitchen and should be as carefully planned for as everything else in your kitchen.

Kitchen Exhaust Fans